Hamas, Hezbollah and Islamic Jihad: Preparations to surround Israel in a three front war, know the connection and mutual opposition between the three

Israel continues to prepare for a large-scale military operation against Hamas in Gaza. The danger of increasing regional conflict is looming. The most serious additional threat to Israel remains Hezbollah, the terrorist group and political party based across Israel’s northern border in Lebanon. Both Hamas and Hezbollah are supported by Iran. However, the two groups are not the same. Their differences will likely affect their and Israel’s actions in the coming days and weeks. Unlike Hamas, Hezbollah has to date not fought solely for Palestinian interests. Hezbollah has not yet fully entered the current conflict, but the group has exchanged fire with Israel across the northern border with Lebanon. Meanwhile, Iran has said that an extension of the war may be inevitable.

who is hezbollah

Hezbollah’s name means ‘Party of God’ and it is a Shia Islamic terrorist organization in Lebanon. The think tank Center for Strategic and International Studies (CSIS) has described it as the world’s most heavily armed non-state organization, possessing a number of unguided artillery rockets as well as ballistic, antiair, antitank and antiship missiles. There is a large and diverse store. In modern history Lebanon was under French mandate until 1943 and after it ended, power was divided among various religious groups, with positions such as Prime Minister and President of the country reserved for people from particular religious sects. According to the Council on Foreign Relations (CFR), Hezbollah originated during the Lebanese Civil War (1975–1990), which was the result of long-running discontent over the large, armed Palestinian presence in the country. The arrival of Palestinian refugees since 1948 amid tense ethnic and religious divisions and the creation of Israel as a homeland for the Jewish people further increased tensions. Their presence led Israeli forces to invade southern Lebanon in 1978 and again in 1982 to expel Palestinian guerrilla fighters. This led to the formation of Hezbollah, which was also inspired by the formation of a religious Islamic government in Iran in 1979. According to the CFR, Iran and its Islamic Revolutionary Guard Corps (IRGC) provided funding and training to the fledgling militia. Therefore, it also reflects the two major powers of West Asia and their rivalry. The US estimates that Iran provides millions of dollars in funding to Hezbollah and has thousands of fighters.

tried his hand in elections also

The group has also functioned as a political party in Lebanon and wields significant influence. Eight members were elected to the Lebanese parliament for the first time in 1992, and a Hezbollah-led coalition formed a government in 2018. Hezbollah retained its 13 seats in the 2022 elections but the coalition lost its majority and the country currently has no fully functioning government. Other Lebanese parties accused Hezbollah of crippling and weakening the state and contributing to Lebanon’s continued instability.

What is Hamas?

The literal translation of Hamas is enthusiasm. Is the short form of Islamic Resistance Movement in Arabic. The group was founded in 1987 in Gaza, as an offshoot of the Muslim Brotherhood, a prominent Sunni group based in Egypt. Emerging during what is known as the First Intifada, or uprising, of Palestinians against Israeli occupation, Hamas immediately adopted the doctrine of armed resistance and called for Israel’s destruction. Palestinian politics changed significantly after the Oslo Accords of 1993, a series of agreements negotiated between the Israeli government and the Palestine Liberation Organization (PLO) with the aim of establishing a comprehensive peace settlement. In opposition to the peace process, Hamas’s armed wing, the al-Qassam Brigades, established itself as the primary force of armed resistance against Israel. This began a series of suicide bomb attacks that continued through the early years of the Second Intifada (2000–2005), before shifting to rockets as the primary tactic. Like Hezbollah, Hamas operates as a political party. It won parliamentary elections in 2006, and in 2007 it seized control of the Gaza Strip in a bloody battle with rival party Fatah that left more than 100 people dead. Hamas has since taken control of Gaza, showing little tolerance for political opposition. He has never held elections, and political opponents and critics are frequently arrested, with reports of torture. During this time, Hamas’s armed wing has become increasingly sophisticated. Its arsenal now includes thousands of rockets, including long-range missiles and drones.

Differences between Hamas and Hezbollah

Hamas is increasingly receiving funding, weapons and training from Iran, but it is not in Iran’s pocket like Hezbollah, which is almost exclusively supported by Iran and takes its instructions from the Islamic Republic. Furthermore, as a Sunni organization, Hamas does not share the Shia religious affiliation with Iran that characterizes most of Hezbollah and Iran’s representatives. As a result, Hamas undoubtedly benefits from Iran’s protection, but it acts more independently than Hezbollah. In contrast, Hamas has received support in the past from others, including Turkey and Qatar, and operates with relative autonomy. The group had long been at odds with Iran over its opposition stance in Syria. Right now, it’s pretty much a war between Israel and Hamas. However, Hezbollah remains a threat to Israel. If Iran becomes active, its full involvement would rapidly change the course of the conflict and make regional war likely.

what is islamic jihad

Islamic Jihad is officially called Palestine Islamic Jihad (PIJ). It is a Sunni Islamist group that was formed to fight the Israeli occupation of Palestine and establish an independent Palestinian state. Established in the late 1970s, it is considered one of the more radical factions among Palestinian armed groups. Islamic Jihad, led by Ziad al-Nakhla and Muhammad al-Hindi, is the second largest Palestinian armed organization after Hamas and has a presence in both the Gaza Strip and the West Bank. The group’s military wing is known as the al-Quds Brigades. It has been responsible for numerous attacks on Israeli targets since the 1990s. While Islamic Jihad and Hamas share the common goal of establishing an independent Palestinian state, they differ in terms of ideology and strategy.